


The Masks We Wear

by thegizka



Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU Shikamaru, ANBU Temari, F/M, Gen, Implied Enemies to Lovers, anbu au, sand siblings - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25081858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegizka/pseuds/thegizka
Summary: Anbu AU where Naruto becomes Hokage shortly after Gaara becomes Kazekage.  Interested in building a peaceful alliance between their villages, they hold secret negotiations accompanied only by their most trusted anbu.Originally written for ShikaTema Week 2020 Day 2:  Masquerade.Note:  I do not own any aspect of Naruto.
Relationships: Gaara & Kankurou & Temari, Nara Shikamaru & Temari
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	The Masks We Wear

Temari was a bit surprised to see him there. It wasn’t because their first encounter had been a fight nearly to the death before he called it quits and escaped. It was because she could  _ see _ him. The rest of the Hokage’s anbu guard were meticulously hidden and staying that way, but he was lounging in a tree as though wasting a lazy summer afternoon.

She knew he was skilled enough to hide undetected, so why wasn’t he? Perhaps he was just THAT confident in his abilities. She could begrudgingly admit that he was capable; he had nearly defeated her in their first encounter. But he was above all a strategist, and there was no advantage to being out in the open. If anything, it jeopardized his kage’s secret meeting by calling attention to this outpost. Was he baiting a trap then? For whom?

The questions baffled her, but she had the self-control not to break her position. He remained nonchalant and out in the open during the entire duration of their kages’ meeting. She’d be lying if she said it didn’t bother her. There  _ had _ to be a reason for it. Perhaps Gaara would have some insight.

“The Hokage seems genuine in his desire to collaborate,” Gaara mused as the siblings convened to discuss the secret negotiations.

“Is he trustworthy though?” Kankuro asked. “He’s been Hokage for what, two months? That’s barely enough time to secure the trust of your own village. Why is he extending offers of peace to us?”

“He is an earnest character. I do not think he is setting us up for a trap.”

Temari studied Gaara’s face as he spoke, looking for the nearly imperceptible tells in his stoic features. Something had happened between him and the Hokage when they fought two years ago. She didn’t know what exactly it was, but he had earned her brother’s respect and trust, which was quite a feat when he almost never trusted anyone. It made her nervous.

“Temari, did you notice anything outside?” Kankuro asked.

“Things were quiet,” she noted, “though one of his anbu, the Deer, was a bit strange.”

“How so?”

“He didn’t attempt to conceal himself at all. He just sat out in the open the whole time.”

“That is suspicious,” Kankuro decided, echoing her earlier judgment. “They’re definitely up to something.”

“Was he armed?” Gaara asked.

“He’s anbu,” she said. “Of course he was armed.”

“But was he actively displaying or holding his weapons?”

“No. He was just sitting there.”

“It could have been a gesture of good faith,” Gaara mused.

“You can’t be serious.” Kankuro’s eyes narrowed. Temari agreed with him. It was too unusual for enemy villages to show such trust at the beginning of alliance negotiations.

“I wouldn’t discount it. As I said, the Hokage is earnest.” Gaara closed his eyes in thought for a moment. “Temari, I’d like you to mimic the Deer next time. Be visible. Appear unarmed. Try to figure out what they’re intending with this unusual behavior, but don’t provoke them. If it is a gesture of peace, we want to reciprocate.”

“You’re asking your sister to expose herself to what could very well be an ambush by enemy anbu,” Kankuro reiterated, not looking happy.

“Yes, but I know she can handle it. And in case things do turn against us, I want you there to back us up. Baki can watch the village in our absence.”

“He won’t like this plan,” Temari warned.

“He never likes our plans,” Kankuro grumbled.

“But he never says no to us, either,” Gaara concluded with something like an amused grin.

\-----

A month later, Temari was back behind her mask accompanying her brothers and a handful of their anbu to another meeting. They arrived before the Konoha delegation, which allowed them the advantage of choosing their positions around the little outpost which served to shelter the kage while they negotiated. Kankuro checked that the building itself was secure before taking up his position in the shadows.

“Be careful,” he whispered from behind his mask before disappearing somewhere along the perimeter. It felt wrong not to follow him into obscurity, to remain standing and visible beside Gaara where all advantage of surprise was lost. But this was her mission, and she was anbu. She was focused and ready to do her duty.

The Hokage arrived a few minutes after they had settled into their positions. He paused at the other end of the clearing, and she had a chance to look at him straight on. He was the same age as Gaara, remarkably young for a kage. He also seemed unguarded and relaxed. Perhaps that was the earnestness that Gaara kept mentioning, or maybe it was naivete. She wondered if it was genuine or a practiced presentation.

Gaara stepped forward to greet him. The Hokage said something to the Deer who was hovering at his shoulder before advancing to reciprocate the greeting. The two leaders headed into the shelter to negotiate in private. Temari wasn’t pleased with her brother going one-on-one with another kage, but both parties had deemed the current level of privacy necessary to these early stages of their alliance, so she remained where she was.

The Deer crossed his arms and leaned against a tree on the other side of the small clearing. He looked relaxed, but she could feel him studying her. She crossed her arms as well but chose not to lean against anything. Her reaction time would be marginally faster if she remained balanced on the balls of her feet.

“It’s been a while,” he said after a long silence. She didn’t say anything in return, allowing him to lead the direction of the conversation.

“We battled, what, three years ago? A lot has happened since then,” he continued.

She watched his body language for hints of his intentions, but he appeared fully relaxed. She expected no less from a rival anbu. Temari thought of Gaara’s encouragement to use this as a chance to find out the Konoha delegation’s intentions.

“Are you still a crybaby?” she asked. His head tilted slightly. She had surprised him by replying.

“How do you mean?”

“Last time we fought, you turned tail and ran like a crybaby.”

“That’s not exactly how I’d describe it.”

“But you did run.”

“There are many reasons why running could be advantageous.”

“That doesn’t make you look less like a crybaby.”

“Do you usually insult new allies?”

“We’re not actually allies.”

“Aren’t we?” He tilted his head curiously. “We’re here for the same purpose.”

“A deer and a wolf may both go to a river to drink, but only a fool would consider them allies.”

“Are you a wolf?” He pushed himself upright. She could feel the weight of his scrutiny.

“Perhaps you’re the wolf disguised as a deer.”

“That level of deception is too troublesome. I prefer to be straightforward.”

She didn’t fully believe him. He was anbu, after all. Half of their missions depended on deception. But he hadn’t told her anything significantly unreliable, and his current behavior matched what she remembered from their previous encounters. She didn’t believe that he was without a secondary motive, but he hadn’t given her reason to think it was antagonistic. Perhaps he was being earnest enough to warrant some trust.

“If you prefer straightforwardness, why are you anbu?” she asked. He shrugged.

“It’s the best way to protect the future I want to make happen.”

“Is it the future the Hokage is working toward?”

“He is a critical part in it.”

Temari thought that was an odd way of saying yes. His voice indicated amusement, but his words gave the Hokage a passive role as though he were simply a part in the Deer’s plan. Was he trying to manipulate his kage and take power, or were they simply working toward the same goal?

“Why are you anbu?” he asked, interrupting her contemplations. Normally she would deflect, but his honest answer had earned reciprocation. She would just have to choose her words carefully.

“I believe in the Kazekage and what he’s working towards. Being anbu allows me to best serve him.”

“So we have the same goal,” he concluded. “We should be allies.”

“Assuming our kages are in agreement.”

“That’s what these meetings are for, right?”

“I suppose they are.”

\-----

When she met with her brothers to debrief after the negotiations, she gave them her honest judgment.

“I think they’re genuine. I’m not ready to set aside all of my suspicions, but if this Hokage is as earnest as you say, he’s won over his anbu already. The Deer, at least, seems committed to an alliance with us. There was no aggression to our interactions.”

“Kankuro, what did you think?”

“There was no move to provoke us. Their anbu were respectful of our positions around the perimeter and didn’t cause suspicion. I wouldn’t invite them over yet, but I could see us getting along well enough to work with them.”

“Good.” Gaara’s mouth turned upwards in a light smile. Temari was still getting used to these smaller expressions of his. “I would like to move forward with the next step in our alliance. Temari, since you’ve started building a rapport with them, I’d like you to be the main messenger and representation for us.”

“I’d hardly call a fight and a conversation with one of their anbu much of a rapport,” she said.

“It’s all we have to work with right now.”

“I’ll do it, of course. But I’m sure Baki won’t be pleased about this.”

“I’m not too happy with it either,” Kankuro grumbled. “Kidnapping the Kazekage’s sister could provide a lot of leverage to our enemies.”

“You’re just upset that I get to leave the village and you’re stuck here helping Gaara with administrative work,” she teased.

“Whatever.”

The following night, Temari donned her anbu mask and took off in the direction of Konoha carrying a sealed letter formally requesting an alliance with the Land of Fire. She felt the weight of Gaara’s hopes in it. Those were her hopes too. She thought of the Deer and wondered whether his hopes aligned with theirs. She was looking forward to finding out.


End file.
